2016 March Madness to Offer VR and More

Today, March Madness, also known as the 2016 NCAA Division I Men’s
Basketball Championship, officially starts. And like in previousyears,
the networks are offering new ways to view the games and get involved.

The first game airs on truTV at 6:30 p.m. EST, with the Florida Gulf Coast
Eagles battling the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights.

Fox Sports is collaborating with NextVR to livestream seven games in virtual reality
at Madison Square Garden in New York.

“Our job is to be at the forefront of virtual reality and ensure that if this
is something that brings our sponsors, our distribution partners, and
ultimately the sports fan, closer to the game, then we take advantage of it,” said
David Nathanson, head of business operations at Fox Sports.

“NextVR has years of experience capturing NBA basketball in VR we are bringing
to bear here,” added NextVR co-founder David Cole. “That includes best camera
positions, inclusion of broadcast elements in the VR delivery, sound design,
graphics, etc.”

The Fox-NextVR partnership is a five-year deal.

“Fans want to be a part of the action and virtual reality takes the fan
experience to the next level,” said
Eric Shanks, Fox Sports president.

Turner Sports and Snapchat have also inked a multi-year deal, which will keep NCAA fans engaged with Snapchat’s Live Story functionality.

“There is nothing more powerful on social than a passionate sports fan
expressing their emotions during that pivotal moment of a game,” said
Seth Ladetsky, senior vice president, Turner Sports Ad Sales. “While providing
fans the tools to enhance their shared experiences, we are also creating an
opportunity for advertisers to showcase their brand in an organic environment
rich with engagement and interaction.”

The Live Stories will feature behind-the-scenes videos, photos and images, many
of which will be submitted by actual fans.

In addition to truTV, games will also air on CBS, TBS and TNT. Live streams can
be found at the NCAA, Bleacher Report, and CBS websites.